McHenry diaper bank set to move

The diaper bank has an agreement to move into the back of Eckel's McHenry Flea Market, said its director, the Rev. Phyllis Mueller.

The space is about the same size as the warehouse currently being used, but unlike the warehouse, Eckel's comes with heat and bathrooms, she said. The rent would be about the same.

"It's fine for storage, but for any of us to work there, whether it's heat or cold, it's difficult," Mueller said, adding that currently three volunteers work out of the warehouse and it's difficult to add anymore because of the heating and bathroom limitations.

The only issue holding up the move is that the diaper bank's lease on the warehouse isn't up until August, and Mueller is hoping to move sooner, especially with winter weather making operating out of the warehouse difficult.

"We've got people to move," she said. "We've got trucks. We're pretty much ready to go. We just can't afford to pay two rental agreements. I'm ecstatically happy but still bummed."

Mueller is working with their landlord to see if the lease can be ended sooner and is also looking for someone to take over the space, she said.

The diaper bank, which was started in 2009 by St. Paul's Episcopal Church in McHenry, coordinates with 14 area agencies to distribute 25,000 diapers a month to low-income families, seniors and disabled children and adults.

It also provides direct service to "people that fall through the cracks," Mueller said, adding that they're still only meeting about half of the requests they receive.

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